Laughing Through the Tears
by Wezen Solo
Summary: A rather fluffy R/H fic in which we encounter a library, a tale, and a whole new side of Madame Pince.


Laughing Through the Tears  
  
Angel Solo  
  
DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters or places in this story. They all belong to the Great, the Wonderful, J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. The title and the first names of: Mdme. Pince and Mdme. Hooch belong to me. Please ask before you use them.  
  
(A/N: I'm ba-ack! I started this towards the beginning of the month and finished it today. I'm rather proud of it and towards the end I got a great idea for another story. I don't think I'll be continuing this story, but who knows? Anywho- Thanks to everyone who reviewed my first two stories. :) You're all great! Please R/R! By the way, let's pretend our favorite trio are in their 5th year, alright?  
  
DEDICATION: I want to dedicate this fic to my cousin who will be born tomorrow! (They're inducing) Still don't know if it's a girl or a boy, my aunt and uncle aren't telling 'till he/she is born. I doubt they'd name it Ron if it's a boy, but hey, a girl can wish can't she?! ;) Now on with the story.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ron looked up from his Divination homework. "Harry, where's Hermione?"  
  
"I don't know," said Harry without looking up. "My guess would be the library."  
  
"The library, of course." Ron breathed a sigh of relief. 'Duh! Of course she's in the library, where else would she be? You're such an idiot, Weasley!' he thought to himself.  
  
"Sorry Harry, guess I just haven't seen her around much these past few days. Come to think of it, I haven't seen much of her since the start of the year."  
  
"Ron, she's probably just worried about the exams like she always is. You know, 'Must be prepared now!" Harry adopted a high voice for the last part. Ron made a half-hearted attempt at a smile.  
  
"God, Ron, if you're that worried about her, go look for her. Ten to one says she's in the library studying."  
  
~o~  
  
  
  
Ron did indeed find Hermione in the library, but she wasn't studying.  
  
~o~  
  
"'Mione, what's wrong?!" He ran over and sat down beside her, rather confused. "C'mon 'Mione, y'know you can tell me anything; I promise I won't laugh." Ron was notorious for laughing at all of her problems, saying 'Is that all?"  
  
Hermione would never admit it aloud, but it always seemed to help her put things into perspective, helped her to laugh at herself. This time, however, she didn't want to laugh. She didn't want to cry either. She was just, oh, so damned confused. 'Yes, I, Hermione Granger, Prefect, swore.' Only in her mind of course. She would never forgive herself if she were the cause of some first year developing a dirty mouth.  
  
Hermione turned away, deciding she wanted to be alone. "'Mione?" Ron whispered, as he was receiving sharper looks from Mdme. Pince every second. That and he somehow sensed that all was not well. "What's wrong?"  
  
Going over her summer in her mind, Hermione decided she indeed did want to cry. So she did. Ron, who had grown out of his 'awkward around crying girls' stage, leaned over and wrapped his arms around her.  
  
Hermione, never really having done this before, let instinct take over and threw her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck, tears streaming down her face without a sound.  
  
Laughter when soundless is the most powerful laughter there is. Tears without sound are ten times more powerful than any form of emotion ever devised. While Hermione's tears drained away, Ron kept murmuring nonsense words in her ear, which seemed to strengthen her somehow.  
  
"'Mione, what's the matter?" He looked down at the crown of her head. Her hair had grown over the summer and now reached the small of her back. Ron dragged his hand through her thick curls trying to calm her enough to speak.  
  
"Viktordumpedme," Hermione mumble this very fast and Ron caught exactly none of it.  
  
"What was that , hun? I didn't catch it." He said this very slowly, as if afraid she would bolt.  
  
" I said," she drew a deep breath, "I said, Viktor dumped me." Ron's baby blue eyes turned to steel, but he kept his face blank for her sake. "It wasn't even the fact that he broke it off, it's just-" She stopped. "It's just that he said it so.so non-chalantly. Like I didn't even matter." She balled her hands into fists, determined not to cry over him ever again.  
  
The next time she spoke her face was devoid of all emotion. "When I went to Bulgaria, when I'd just arrived, I walked into his house and saw he and Fluer Delacour sitting on the sofa, snogging. I mean- it's not like he never kissed me, but it just hurt. He was CHEATING on me, for Witch's sake! He looked over at me; I was staring, open-mouthed. He just said, 'Oh, yeah, you, well, it's over.' Then he just went back to trying to swallow her head!  
  
" I turned around and marched right out of there and straight to the train station. He can keep his mansion. Damn thing is too big anyway." She said all this in a rush, half-hoping he wouldn't understand what was coming out of her mouth. Ron looked positively ready to kill.  
  
"That B-" He cut himself off when he saw Mdme. Pince staring straight at him. "Prat," he corrected.  
  
Madame Pince glared at Ron and hissed, "Mr. Weasley, if you would kindly keep it down!" Although she whispered, her tone made it clear she wasn't joking. This had about the same effect it had always had on him, none. He kept going, "Why didn't you tell us?! We're supposed to be your friends!"  
  
Hermione started to giggle, then laugh. Soon she was near hysteria and shaking in his arms.  
  
"'Mione? What's so funny?!"  
  
"Oh, Ron, I'm sorry. It's just that-," she broke into another fit of giggles, "It's just that you remind me of Crookshanks when you're spitting mad, your face is positively RED!"  
  
"Oh, so you think that's funny do you?"  
  
She managed to keep a straight face as she answered, "Yes."  
  
"Oh, really. Well in that case-" He reached around to her sides and started to tickle her.  
  
"Ha! Stop! Oooh, that tickles!" She muffled her shrieks in his shirt. He stopped. "Better now?"  
  
"Yes, much. Thanks."  
  
"Hey, what're best friends for? Uh, 'Mione?" Ron looked decidedly nervous now. "Uh, do you, erm would you," He gulped. "What I mean to say is, um-" He was cut off by Hermione's lips on his.  
  
"Yes." He grinned, then pulled her onto his lap and leaned down again, holding her there for some time.  
  
~o~  
  
On the other side of the library, behind a stack of books, Kathryn Pince smiled her first genuine smile of the day. Without another word she stood, leaving the new couple to themselves, and walked out of the library. She had ten galleons to collect from her good friend Jo Hooch. She rolled her eyes and thought to herself, 'I told her those two would get together. I told her!'  
  
~o~  
  
(A/N: In case you didn't get the ending, Pince and Hooch made bets on who would get together and Pince won. Well, SIX PAGES!! I realize that's probably not very much, but it's the longest one I've posted yet. I've got one that's 15 pages written that I haven't posted yet. Actually, I really need to work on that.:) Well, Happy New Year! Thanks for reading. Now go R/R, please! To everyone in America or anywhere else for that matter: United We Stand *=  
  
I just typed this for the THIRD time because my stupid old computer decided it didn't want me to post. Oh, well, at least I memorized it. ::rolls eyes::  
  
'Night all! 


End file.
